


celestials have shadows...right?

by nsykdk



Category: Elsword (Video Game)
Genre: #justcelestialthings, Gen, also sold in glow-in-the-dark versions, cave exploring, celestials are cold, floaty celestials, ice cold puddles and ooh. moss. gotta love moss, monsters? maybe, oh wait that's a spoiler!, shapeshifting!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-17 12:52:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16516835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nsykdk/pseuds/nsykdk
Summary: Ciel and Ain draw short straws to explore a cave. However, something seems off about Ain...





	celestials have shadows...right?

**Author's Note:**

> So...this was supposed to be written for another competition that I can't enter. Sucks to be me.  
> Anyway, the prompt was that it had to be about a monster of some kind and 4k+ words long. (Haha. 4k more words than what I usually write.) I didn't make the word limit anyway, so...
> 
> I'm not going to tell you what the monster is, but see if you can figure it out...and when it comes.

"Are you kidding my El?!" Elsword has his hands on his head as Aisha waves the remaining two torches around. "We only have two torches?"

"Elsword, _language_! That means we can only have two people go into that thing," Elesis says, peering into the mouth of the dark cave. "In other words, we're drawing straws."

After a few minutes, Raven has the straws grasped tightly in his hand. The air is solemn as the straws go around. Ciel can almost feel the palpable tension in the air.

"Okay, everyone, let's see who got the short straws..."

A hoot and a cheer erupt from the far side that Ciel recognises as Elsword and Elesis. Chung and Eve are comparing straws, but it's glaringly obvious that they're both long. As more people join the group of long straws, Ciel finds himself left with a ragtag group of Ain and Add. Lu's celebrating with Aisha - he knows they've bonded somewhere down the line about their hatred of damp, dark spaces.

The scientist escapes the group finally, after a heated straw-comparing session, and immediately sighs in relief. Ain looks slightly paler than usual.

"Well, then..." Elesis hands over the torches, all serious again. "We've heard that there's monsters in the cave from the nearby village, but they've never really seen them at all, so you two should take care. Also, the fire is Aisha's magic, so you shouldn't have to worry about it going out unless you encounter water."

"You guys only need to check it out, so if you find anything inside, we'll regroup once you get out and investigate together," Rena adds as encouragement. "Although we'll have to find a way to get some extra torches."

A short farewell later, Ciel and Ain step into the dark cave. The torches burn brightly, casting a soft, warm glow onto the walls. Immediately, the sense of boisterousness that comes with the rest of the El Search Party dissipates, like the light of the entrance behind them.

"Mr. Half-Demon," Ain says, as they head further into the cave, "you aren't afraid of ghosts, are you, by any chance?"

Strange. Ain barely speaks to him when with the El Search Party - he knows it's because of Lu, but...

"No, I'm not. Did you see a ghost?" Ciel looks around, but there's nothing out of place amongst the dark rock walls and the flickering shadows.

Ain shakes his head. "It seems like a place where ghosts would appear, that's all."

With the shadows of the torch illuminating his pale face, Ain could possibly pass off as a ghost. His white robes and greyish hair only add to the haunting idea - but Ciel doesn't see any harm in the celestial. They continue along in silence, with only two pairs of footsteps echoing on the rocky ground.

"You know, I think we'd actually be a good pair," Ciel remarks as Ain's projected daggers scatter a horde of spiders. "If we'd gotten Chung and his huge destroyer in here, who knows if swinging it could bring the entire cave down on us?"

Ain cracks a smile at the comment as he twirls another dagger in his hand. "It would be difficult to swing a sword, too."

A mental image of Elsword swinging his sword desperately at the hordes of bats while screaming battle cries brings a smile to Ciel's face as well. He doesn't want to start imagining what would happen if the sword happened to get stuck in the rocks. Aisha would probably be a lost cause, poor thing; and if Add and Raven disliked spiders...

Perhaps with the exception of Eve and her Nasod helpers, Ciel can't think of anyone else who can fight in such a confined space. With Ain's projection magic and the help of the torches, even the bats living in the cave avoid them completely.

"I can't imagine Rena can aim very well in the dark, either."

"Perhaps we should not think of how badly Ms. Wizard would fare..."

With a laugh, Ciel pockets his gunblades as they continue further into the cave.

* * *

"Are you cold, Mr. Half-Demon?" Ain seems to look amused, holding both torches as Ciel buttons his coat up. "The torches are quite warm, in that case."

"It's gotten a bit colder, don't you think?" The air has become slightly chilly - it's a mild spring day outside, and he's sure it's because of the cave. "We've been walking for a while, though..."

Ciel isn't sure when the ground had gotten wet, but when he sees the cave walls, they're slippery with moss and the occasional mushroom. It smells worse in this part of the cave - the wetness seems to make the ever-present bat-excretion smell barely tolerable. Ain's nose is wrinkled in distaste, already hurrying to be past the area.

"Ain, slow down a little. You don't want to trip and fall here," Ciel calls as Ain wanders just a bit too far away. As much as Ciel hates the smell and the slipperiness, the thought of getting his precious coat dirty and wet and cold keeps him steady as Ain falls into step again beside him.

The little puddles of water turn into larger pools, and they take turns helping each other cross them as parts of the cave become ankle-deep rivers. Ciel leaves his boot in one for a moment too long and feels the cold even through the material.

"We're almost there," Ciel says as he jumps over another puddle of icy cold water, directing the torch at the walls. "There's a lot less moss here."

Gratefully, Ain reaches out for a hand over the puddle. He's just about to take the step over when-

In slow motion, Ciel sees Ain's look of pure terror as his foot slips on a piece of moss and tumbles face-first into the pool. Ciel's hand slips out of his, the torch flame extinguishes itself; and for a split second an ear-piercing scream of absolute terror emits from the general vicinity of where Ciel thinks Ain is.

And then cold water splashes onto his shins, and Ciel brings his torch beside him as he crouches beside a very wet, shivering celestial.

"Ain, are you okay?" The water seems to be just water, to which Ciel mutters a blessing. Ain nods as he begins to wring the water from his robes, sighing. Ciel suppresses a pitied smile, handing over a handkerchief (Lu's, it seems, from the pink and blue checkered design) from his pocket.

"The torch..." Ain rummages around in the water once he's standing and somewhat drier, eventually picking up the drenched fabric bundle. "It went out."

As Ain steps out of the puddle, Ciel can't help but notice how pale he looks in the now-single torchlight.

"Can you relight the flame from your torch?" Ain holds up the extinguished one, frowning. In his other hand is the handkerchief, which Ciel promptly places back into his pocket.

"It's magic fire, so it might not work." Ciel frowns as he bumps the flame to the oiled fabric of the extinguished torch, but it refuses to be lit. He tries again, but to no avail; eventually Ain finds a pocket for the thing and they continue on.

Now with only one torch and much less moss, Ciel guides the way through the winding cave. It's harder to watch his feet and also illuminate the pathway, and progress is slow as they shuffle slowly towards the centre of the cave. His breath comes in puffs with the creeping cold, a reminder of the chill.

Ain is barely keeping up with him by the time Ciel decides to take a break. Even though the celestial seemed to be indifferent to the cold earlier, his wet clothes must be causing at least some discomfort. Ciel feels a wave of sympathy sway him as they sit on the cold rock floor.

Ciel peers over his energy bar at the shivering white bundle beside him. "Are you feeling okay?"

Though they'd worked to wring the majority of the water from his clothes, he can still see the dampness in the dim light. He'd gladly accepted an energy bar, despite his lack of necessity for eating - perhaps a distraction from the cold would do him well. Ciel notes to make some conversation and a pot of stew for the poor thing when they return.

"It's...unpleasant," Ain says, finally, and Ciel thinks of a plan.

"Here, hold the torch. It's warm, so it might dry up your clothes a bit."

Ain looks surprised, but takes it regardless. Within a moment, he's relaxed and a little less tense, and relief spreads through Ciel. At least they could probably make it out of the cave with one torch if they were fast about it...

Once Ciel finishes his energy bar, he peers over at Ain. "Come on, let's go. The cave isn't going to explore itself."

Ain hands back the torch wordlessly, and they continue in silence.

* * *

The further they head in, the colder it gets, it seems - by the time they round the next bend, Ain's shivering heavily, and when Ciel draws him closer for comfort, he can feel the cold radiating off him. For a moment, it's strange - usually, the celestial is cold, but he can't feel...

Ciel shakes his head. It's probably just the chill of the cave playing tricks on him. 

Glistening icicles hang off the low cave ceiling, and the floor becomes slippery as ice begins to crunch underfoot. Ciel considers himself lucky to have missed several of the more dangerous patches.

Ain barely talks any more, simply following loosely behind Ciel while shivering. With the added danger of slipping on ice, progressing even a little is exhausting in the cold.

"Ain, watch your st- ah?!" Ciel turns to warn Ain, but in doing so, mistakes a slippery piece of ice for safe ground. "Ow..."

But the pain in his bottom disappears completely when he realises Ain is _floating_. Ciel almost drops his torch.

"A-Ain," Ciel gasps, as the shivering celestial draws up to him, "you're f-floating."

Wait- wait, wait, didn't celestials have the ability to float? Ciel breathes a sigh of relief. Ain holds out a hand for him, and Ciel gratefully takes it, only to be repulsed by the sheer coldness. Like the feeling of touching solid ice, Ain emanates ice-cold.

Ain cocks his head, seemingly confused when Ciel falls back down again. He must be hallucinating - it must be the cold playing tricks on him-

Ciel's scream resounds through the hollow cave, as he scrambles as fast as he can to the far side of the cave, away from Ain.

Ain doesn't have a shadow.

Ciel grabs the torch and places it between him and Ain; illuminating the floor. The flickering torchlight shows it completely shadowless, except for Ciel's huddled figure. His teeth are chattering from being so close to the icy floor, but he can barely feel the chill.

Slowly, Ain's figure floats towards Ciel.

"Mr. Half-Demon...?" The celestial puts his feet down beside Ciel. He can only squeak in distress. "Celestials don't have shadows."

...Huh?

Ciel blinks, and then Ain is crouching beside him. His clothes are still vaguely damp.

"Shouldn't we go...?"

"A-alright." Ciel picks himself up off the ground, hurrying back in the direction he was headed. There had been nothing to worry about all along...right? "Come on, Ain."

Unable to calm his rapidly beating heart, Ciel takes quick, measured steps. Despite Ain's words, the way that he floats eerily over the cave floor... Ciel shivers and decides not to think about it any longer.

A soft light emanates from the cave as they press on, dressing the rock walls in a blue glow. They must be near the centre already - Ciel's fingers are almost frozen to the torch, and progress is slow as he trudges through the freezing air. Ain almost reflects the light of the cave, glowing a dull green that Ciel desperately tries to ignore, somehow keeping at bay by convincing himself that it's normal for celestials to glow. He's more than desperate to get out of the cave and back into open, fresh air and a warm fi-

A cold blast of air greets the duo as they enter the centre of the cave. Icicles drip generously from the ceiling; and Ciel pulls his coat closer to avoid the chill as the torch lights the way. The room is completely empty, except for a little bundle on the far side.

As Ciel draws closer, the bundle begins to visibly shiver. The torch lights up the shadow of a human head, then a body, and then-

"...Ain?" Ciel drops to the floor, waving the torch in front of the collapsed celestial's face. "Is that you...?"

"Mr...Half-Demon?" Ain's face lights up, despite the blue of the chill creeping into his face. "You're here-"

A second voice echoes behind Ciel. "Wait..."

The Ain which had been with him throughout the cave floats into view. Ciel's throat constricts in his chest.

"Two...Ains?" Ciel can feel his sanity slipping away from him. Certainly, he's hallucinating or- or something. "W-what's going on?"

"Don't trust that thing," the Ain on the floor gasps, shaking an accusing finger at it. "I'm the real Ain."

"No, Mr. Half-Demon, I'm the real Ain," the one behind Ciel says, floating up to him. "I've been here the whole time..."

"When I slipped and fell, I woke up here-"

Ciel reaches for his gunblades, dropping the torch to wield them in both hands. Terror courses through his body as he points one blade at each Ain. "What is going on here? Which one of you is the real Ain?"

Suddenly, cold fingers appear on Ciel's shoulders, squeezing tightly. "I am...the real Ain..."

Ciel spins to face the voice, but nothing greets him but the icy walls and an echoing laugh. The source of the voice reveals itself a moment later as a third Ain.

"What...?"

Slowly, the icicles begin to move, their glowing blue presences slowly forming green as they morph into copies of the Ain which floats beside Ciel. Some are collapsed on the ground exactly like the first Ain, others spinning projected weapons or cradling a pendulum. Ciel spins, but even more ghost copies fill the entranceway. As he brandishes the gunblades in his hand, the voice of hundreds of echoes calls out, "Don't hurt me, Mr. Half-Demon..."

Slowly, the copies creep closer. Ciel tries to push his way through the masses, but the sheer cold forms frost on his coat and repels him instantly. His blades simply slice through thin air when he throws them, bullets passing harmlessly through without any success.

A muted chuckle echoes throughout the cave, and soon each copy's face twists into a cackling sneer. As they float closer, the chill begins to freeze Ciel's boots to the floor and his hands to his weapons; until all he can do is blink helplessly as the blades, now useless, snap onto fragments of ice and rain onto the cave floor.

The closest Ain smiles, almost tenderly, as a frozen finger tilts Ciel's chin to face it. His eyes are blank.

"My, my...it seems like you're completely out of luck..."

Ah. So this was what they meant by monsters in the cave.

The smile cracks into a crazed grin, and as it laughs, the darkness of its mouth slowly spirals outward until all sound, all light fades into nothingness.

"...Ciel."

* * *

"Welcome back!" Chung cheers as he rushes up to the duo. They're a bit pale, and a bit frosty - but he seats them in front of the fire as he heads to wake the rest of the group.

"It's fine, Chung," Ciel says. Sitting by the fire, he finally relaxes and brushes off the ice from his coat. Ain floats in beside him, gladly drying off the last of his damp clothes. "Let them sleep."

"How wa-" Suddenly, Chung's face drains of colour, his hands reaching for the destroyer beside him. "Ciel, Ain..."

"Yes?"

"Why...don't you two have shadows?"

**Author's Note:**

> If you're thinking "wow, that was dark" then you just got my point!
> 
> The real Ain was the one on the floor, by the way. RIP Ciel.  
> Also, the ghost replaced Ain when he fell in the puddle. That's why he never got warmer, doesn't have a shadow and is super pale and floaty.


End file.
